


It's a Little More Believable When We Touch

by lionessvalenti



Category: White Collar
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M, Het, Pillow Talk, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-04
Updated: 2011-03-04
Packaged: 2017-10-16 02:43:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/167566
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lionessvalenti/pseuds/lionessvalenti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal likes Sara, but it's always more complicated than just that. Episode tag to 2.15, Power Play.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a Little More Believable When We Touch

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by Lefaym.

Neal kicked back the blankets until they were in a heap at the end of the bed. The heat still hadn't broken, but now, without the threat of rolling blackouts, the air conditioning had been turned back on. However, with the sun pouring in through the skylights, it seemed to make little difference.

He turned his head to Sara, who was naked and beautiful, her pale skin glowing in the sun. She stared up at the ceiling, smiling to herself.

He smoothed a hand over her ribs. "Hey."

She looked at him and laughed as her cheeks grew pink. "Hi."

"You're blushing," he said with a grin. He rolled onto his side, closer to her.

"No, I'm not." Sara looked away and laughed nervously. "It's hot, you know."

Neal chuckled to himself as he nuzzled against her neck and kissed her. Her liked the smell of her, the feel of her skin, and the way she had gasped and clawed at his ass during sex. He'd never taken the time to imagine what sex with Sara would be like, but he liked the reality of it. The scratches would still be there tomorrow, and he would probably be able to feel them when he sat down across from Peter. It'd be a nice reminder of his weekend when he went into the office.

"Do you like this?" he asked as he kissed her shoulder. "Cuddling? Or do you just want to go to sleep now?"

"It's five o'clock in the afternoon, and we're sitting under a skylight. I'm not going to sleep, orgasm or not." Sara shrugged, bumping her shoulder into his chin. "And I like cuddling, but it's warm. I like cuddling more in the winter."

"I'll keep that in mind," Neal replied.

Sara raised her eyebrows as she looked at him again. "You think we'll still be at this in the winter?"

"I think to question that in this moment is just pessimism."

"Realism," she corrected quickly. "I'm not the one weirdly in love with my boss."

Neal grinned and shook his head. "Peter's not my boss."

Sara ran a finger down the length of his forearm. "That's the part you're going to deny? Really?"

He dropped his forehead to her shoulder and laughed. "That's... embarrassing," he said when he finally lifted his head. He reached up and brushed a lock of hair away from her face. "I like you."

"I know," she replied in a whisper. "I'm not questioning your honor, Neal. Just making an observation."

Neal shook his head as he traced invisible lines between her breasts. "It's complicated."

"No kidding. He's married."

"He is, and that's just the tip of the iceberg." Neal shrugged. "I get Peter in enough trouble just being myself. I can't imagine what would happen if we... it wouldn't happen, anyway."

Sara smiled, and it was adorable the way her nose scrunched up as she did. She tapped her finger against his collarbone. "I think Peter likes getting in trouble."

"Yeah, but not with his wife."

"Ah. I can see that." She turned her face away, looking out into the rest of the room, the smile still on her face.

"Hey," Neal said. He toyed with one of her nipples until she looked back up at him. He smiled at her. "I really like you, Sara."

She nodded, like maybe he was a little slow. "I know, we've been over this."

He kissed her. He hadn't planned on kissing her, but it suddenly seemed like the thing to do. She hummed against his lips and slid a hand into his hair. He liked the way her fingernails scraped against his scalp. He swelled against her, his hand slipping down over her stomach, pulling her closer to him.

"Mmm," Sara mumbled and pulled her hand from his hair. She held a hand to Neal's chest and he broke the kiss. She looked at him quizzically. "I don't know what you're trying to do. Distract me from the conversation?"

"I... thought it was rude to be here with you, like this, and talk about how I'm in love with someone else. I like you--"

"I know."

"--and we're not doing this because I can't be with that someone else."

She blinked up at him. "Oh. I hadn't thought about it that way."

Neal swallowed and ran his thumb over her nipple. "After everything with Kate, and all we've learned about Alex and Adler, I don't know. I want it to be over with. And part of that is moving on. Moving on from Kate, and... start living my life." He hesitated, then added, "Well, as much as I can in a two mile radius."

"So we're not going to my place anytime soon," Sara said, smiling.

"Exactly." He laughed, actually feeling nervous. That made him even more nervous. "After prison, I spent all this time trying to find Kate and then after she... I've been stuck. I was stuck in vengeance, and that didn't work, and now, doing things the right way, it takes so long, and I'm sick of being in limbo. I don't know how to have a real life anymore. But I do know that part of that life isn't wondering what if with someone I can't have. And I think something's happening here, between us."

Her smile spread into a grin. "What clued you in, Philip Marlowe? Was it the make out session in the stacks, or the fact that I'm lying naked in your bed?"

"When you came over today," Neal replied. "Making out last night could have been written off as a fluke, but you came."

She shrugged. "I liked it. I like you, oddly enough. Even after everything with the Raphael and the breaking and entering incident. Incidents."

He blinked at her and took a slow breath. "Yeah, I guess after all that, you wouldn't believe a word I just said."

"No, I do, actually. The amount of effort you put into saying it was a hint. It's when you're smooth and charming that I wonder."

"Maybe it's part of my act," Neal replied, but he was smiling. "My big con to lure you into bed."

"Is it really a con if I get what I want too?" Sara asked. "Or is it just satisfaction?"

He shrugged. "I guess it all depends on your definition."

She laughed and leaned up to kiss him. His arms slid around her body and he rolled onto his back, pulling her with him. Her hair tickled against his cheek as she fell over him. Neal slipped a hand between her legs and she gasped into his mouth.

Sara lifted her head and tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. "Are we going to do this again?"

"We shouldn't get out of bed until the sun goes down. That's only, what? Five hours from now?" Neal cupped her cheek with his free hand. "What do you say?"

"I like the way you think," she replied, and then brought her mouth to his.


End file.
